Surely young children should not be isolating in their rooms with covid?

[CA0932017]

I get that all families are in different situations and many teens would be happy to isolate in their room for days. But young kids? surely it's too young?

There's been an outbreak in both DC's class. There are class group chats and Facebook groups etc and I'm amazed how many people are saying they are isolating their 6/7 year olds in their rooms. Also in ds's son at 10, I feel is too young still.

We all had covid last month. Dp first then all
of us next. We didn't isolate away from each other. Our house is too small, we have one bathroom. Kids have sen, it wouldn't be an option for mine. They don't leave my side. They weren't overly poorly either.

I feel sad for kids that are expected to stay in their room for 10 days? I don't think I would cope in my room for 10 days, let alone a child.

One poor kid has done a full 10 days in his room according to his mum.

I'm not sure what the point of this post is. Nothing to do with me and people can make their own choices but I feel so sad for them.

I was asked by test and trace which room my kids were in when we had it and they seemed relieved when I said in the same room as me.

It just feels sad when covid is mild in most people!

To add, Dd has tested positive again. I just couldn't imagine making her stay in one room!

[Title edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

How is constant screen time and no exercise acceptable for a 7yo for 5-10 days?

My ND 10 year old - not a hope in hell. He had COVID in December, no way could we make him isolate. Nobody else caught it. My NT 16 year old - he was absolutely fine. He felt like he was living the dream - could stay in his room for days, food/drinks delivered on a tray, no washing up, no chores. Sweetest 10 days of his life, according to him!

My 6 year old grandson has covid and no he is not isolating in his room. He shares with his older brother anyway, so that would seem entirely pointless.

@Goldbar

How is constant screen time and no exercise acceptable for a 7yo for 5-10 days?

I agree. I think it's barbaric

plenty of hugs whenever he wanted

So where you isolating too?

*were

@Goldbar

How is constant screen time and no exercise acceptable for a 7yo for 5-10 days?

It's not going to kill him is it?

@Howmanysleepsnow

Well, my 7yo did. As did my 16yo who had it at the same time. We kept in contact via Alexa, I provided room service and plenty of hugs whenever he wanted, he had access to Tv and games and a selection of snacks, and also played online with his siblings/ chatted to them via Alexa. He actually surprised me by saying he really enjoyed isolating and asked if he could do it again sometime! If he’d hated it we’d have done it another way, but he didn’t and this way kept DH and the other DC safe.

Having read the post that others were referring to, I can see where they are coming from.

I'm assuming your other child and husband are CEV?

@knittingaddict. No, but if you look at the deterioration in children's mental health and increase in childhood obesity caused by the Covid lockdowns, this sort of experience clearly has an impact on children. Most children of that age, unless very sedentary, would be climbing the walls after a single day stuck in their bedroom.

Covid had made things bad enough for kids. I find it hard to believe that parents would consciously choose to worsen the impact on their own children.

I wouldn’t mask up and treat my child like a filthy covid rat either

How is constant screen time and no exercise acceptable for a 7yo for 5-10 days?

I'm not sure I'd find it acceptable either and I am much older than 7!!

Before the pandemic there was (in mainstream news) concerns about the amount of older people living alone , many of whom didn't speak or see another person for possibly days at a time. The introduction of self checkouts and automated ticket machines etc meant they got less interaction with other people.
There was also reports about the effects if screens and tech on young children and how it mean some struggled socially and found it harder to learn face to face social skills. Now all those concerns have almost been reversed during the pandemic and isolation and reliance on tech seems to be a positive.

It's not going to kill him is it?

That's not the highest of bars

Covid had made things bad enough for kids. I find it hard to believe that parents would consciously choose to worsen the impact on their own children.

Totally agree

@Howmanysleepsnow

* and plenty of hugs whenever he wanted,*

Hate to break it to you (but I’m relieved!) but your 7 year old son isolate of our gave him hugs whenever he wanted!

Did NOT isolate…

@knittingaddict

it’s not going to kill him

Is that your parenting style?

@lemonadesoda

My DD isolated when she had it, but she's 17, and even then, I was very clear to her that if she was struggling being alone she was to come out and join us. As it happens, with the TV, her phone, her ipad, no chores and food delivered to her bedroom door, she was having a great time!

Same when my 18yo DSS had it. He was absolutely living the dream - no work, no helping round the house, just 24/7 playstation and meals being brought to him. He was quite unwell for 48 hours but after that he was loving it.

It is not appropriate for young kids. Esp if they feel unwell, they need hugs and reassurance and company. I find the whole concept a bit disturbing tbh.

My 3 year old is currently testing positive and has been for 6 days... it's life as normal here with extra cuddles and she's sleeping in my bed to stop the inevitable midnight wake up/bed swap with my DH.

We're all still testing negative, which is lucky, but I'd absolutely take the risk to comfort DD.

Can't believe people are so content to see their children on screens 24/7. It's unbelievably unhealthy. I was so stressed during lockdown about the amount of screen time my DC were having, it was a constant battle. It's like a bizarre glimpse into the future where we no longer have any human contact but sit plugged into computers all day long.

I had covid in 2020 at Xmas. I was wfh in my bedroom anyway so pretty much stayed in my room working, and then slept when I wasnt. Kids came to say Hi but mostly I was on my own except for DH sleeping in the room. I did come down on Xmas day though, and wasnt purposefully isolating anyway.

No chance would I shut my kids away and treat them like a walking nuclear germ weapon. If they want to stay in their rooms, fine (tbf, mine are antisocial anyway so love their rooms 😆) if they want to come out and hug us all and live as normal that is fine too!!

If an adult is CEV they should be the one to isolate. CEV children changes the situation more, and I would trust a parents judgement there.

My youngest is 12 and I definitely wouldn't be isolating him in his room. My 18 and 20 year olds wouldn't have a problem with it, it's what they do anyway.

I know a few people who insisted their 7-9 year olds isolated in their room (only went into other parts of the house wearing a mask when others were not there.)

To me the mental health impact of this is way worse than a possible Covid infection. We've all had Covid in my house - by the time the LFT came back positive, everyone had already been infected!

My friend did this and one of her other kids got covid from school two weeks later - and the same thing has happened again with another of the kids

So it’s extended the whole thing by weeks.

When my dc7 had it we all carried on as normal, tested every day, still all sat together, gave cuddles kisses, bathed with my other dc’s. All of the rest of us remained negative

We didn't make my then 15 year old isolate in his room.

He was really quite unwell and the thought of shutting him away in his room seemed barbaric.

None of the rest of us caught it.